Storage system and method for storing material
AssigneeBeckman Coulter, Inc.
InventorsStephen Otts, Stefan Rückl
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A storage system for storing material such as sample tube caps comprises a drawer with a reservoir, the drawer being movable between a first position and a second position. A storage container is arranged below the reservoir of the drawer when the drawer is arranged in the first position. A transport device is configured to retrieve material from the storage container and to transport the material out of the storage container. Therein, the reservoir of the drawer comprises a bottom with at least one closable opening.
Claims20
A storage system for storing material, comprising:
- a drawer comprising a reservoir, the drawer being movable between a first position and a second position,
- a storage container arranged below the reservoir of the drawer when the drawer is arranged in the first position,
- a transport device configured to retrieve material from the storage container and to transport the material out of the storage container at a substantially constant pace,
- wherein the reservoir of the drawer comprises a bottom comprising a plurality of closable openings which are jointly operable in that
- the plurality of closable openings are jointly opened when the drawer is moved from the second position into the first position and
- the plurality of closable openings are jointly closed when the drawer is moved from the first position into the second position.
A storage system for storing material, comprising:
- a drawer comprising a reservoir, the drawer being movable between a first position and a second position,
- a storage container arranged below the reservoir of the drawer when the drawer is arranged in the first position, and
- a transport device configured to retrieve material from the storage container and to transport the material out of the storage container at a substantially constant pace,
- wherein the reservoir of the drawer comprises a bottom with at least one closable opening, and wherein the reservoir of the drawer comprises at least one tapered element arranged so that material in the reservoir moves toward the at least one closable opening.
A storage system for storing material, comprising:
- a drawer comprising a reservoir, the drawer being movable between a first position and a second position, wherein the reservoir of the drawer comprises a bottom with at least one closable opening;
- a storage container arranged below the reservoir of the drawer when the drawer is arranged in the first position,
- a transport device configured to retrieve material from the storage container and to transport the material out of the storage container at a substantially constant pace, and a release mechanism configured to:
- open the at least one closable opening when the drawer is moved into the first position, and
- close the at least one closable opening when the drawer is moved out of the first position.
A method for storing material in a storage system, comprising the steps:
- moving a drawer comprising a reservoir from a first position into a second position,
- receiving material into the reservoir of the drawer when the drawer is arranged in the second position,
- moving the drawer into the first position where at least one closable opening in a bottom of the reservoir is opened,
- releasing the material through the closable opening into a storage container arranged below the drawer when the drawer is arranged in the first position, and
- retrieving material from the storage container and transporting the material out of the storage container by a transport device at a substantially constant pace.
A storage system for storing material, comprising:
- a drawer comprising a reservoir, the drawer being movable between a first position and a second position, wherein the reservoir of the drawer comprises a bottom with at least one closable opening,
- a storage container arranged below the reservoir of the drawer when the drawer is arranged in the first position,
- a transport device configured to retrieve material from the storage container and to transport the material out of the storage container at a substantially constant pace, and
- an electromagnet operable to lock the drawer in the first position and to release the drawer from the first position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.